Compressed gas fracturing processes, such as liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) fracturing, may use pressurized liquefied gases, such as liquid CO2, in conjunction with other substances to open formations within a well bore, thereby facilitating the extractions of mined materials (e.g., oil, natural gas, etc.). As pressure at the well bore is diminished, the formations may close up unless propped open. Some fracturing processes use bulk proppant mixed with the compressed gas. The proppant may include solid granules such as sand, ceramics, and/or sintered bauxite that become lodged within the formation, thereby propping it open as the pressure within the formation decreases.
Fracturing processes that use a mixture of bulk proppant and compressed gas may be described further in U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,545 filed on Jan. 7, 1982 and entitled “Carbon Dioxide Fracturing Process and Apparatus,” U.S. Pat. No. 8,689,876 filed on Feb. 20, 2013 and entitled “Liquified Petroleum Gas Fracturing System,” U.S. Pat. No. 8,408,289 filed on Mar. 2, 2007 and entitled “Liquified Petroleum Gas Fracturing System,” U.S. Pat. No. 8,276,659 filed on Dec. 29, 2008 and entitled “Proppant Addition System and Method,” U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0124208 filed on Jan. 10, 2014 and entitled “Liquified Petroleum Gas Fracturing System,” and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0246199 filed on Feb. 21, 2014 and entitled “Method of Fracturing with Liquefied Natural Gas,” the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
The solid granules of the bulk proppant may be very erosive when moving or flowing against a surface. For example, machinery such as pumps and valves in contact with the bulk proppant as it flows through a fracturing system may be subjected to significant wear. To illustrate, high pressure pumps used to pump the mixture of proppant and compressed gas into the well bore may be subjected to significant wear as they pressurize and move the mixture through the fracturing system. The additional wear may cause additional expense associated with frequent servicing efforts and/or significant limitations on the usable life span of the high pressure pumps.